Oedipus Destiny Essay

Oedipus tried frantically to elude his predicted destiny and outsmart the gods and their celestial power. By pushing the parameters of his social margins, the delicate connection between god and man becomes more obvious. At the opening of Sophocles’ play, Oedipus is confronted with all the difficulties of Thebes, the city he governs as King. The crops are dying, the flocks are unhealthy, children are dying, and an epidemic is devastating the population. All these predicaments became apparent, after the demise of the city’s prior king, Laius and Oedipus takes over. The plagues of the town are a punishment on the citizens for not discovering their prior King’s killer. This play illustrates the direct involvement of the gods in Oedipus’ destiny, Oedipus’ effort to change his fate, and by trying to defy his destiny; he unknowingly fulfilled it. All his efforts were in vain, as the gods had already determined his future.
Oedipus first demonstrates his reverence for the gods and their will by directing Creon, his uncle and second in command, to the oracle at Delphi to pursue the advice of Apollo. “And that I have taken: I have sent Creon, Son of Menoikeus, brother of the Queen To Delphi, Apollo’s place of revelation” (Sophocles pg. 713).Oedipus takes Apollo’s advice literally and pledges to search for Laius’ killer and bring him to justice. Sophocles vilified the gods' character, and depressed their position by making them look destructive and malevolent. Many people believe that gods should be flawless and unfailing, and should embody integrity and impartiality, but with Oedipus, the gods seemed bent on destroying him and his family. It is difficult to understand gods having humanistic traits, but these in fact, do. The gods, particu...

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... is pain enough for me to bear” (Sophocles pg. 740). He is unwavering on his quest to reveal mysteries that should have been left alone, that he blinds himself to the costs of his findings. He trusts that he can scheme to escape the prediction made by the oracle. Once he does this, he defies the gods and their power over man, and sets a series of events in motion that would directly lead to his demise.
While at times Oedipus seems to respect the gods, he did try to outwit them to change his destiny. He was not aware that the adjustment he made to change his fate actually sealed his fate. One could even take it a step further and say that when he made the decision to alter his destiny, he never once thought about the gods. Unfortunately, for Oedipus, the gods predetermined his destiny and the first move he made set everything he was trying to avoid in motion.
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